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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
File:ImagOfParn span.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed byTerry Gilliam
Written byTerry Gilliam
Charles McKeown
Produced bySamuel Hadida
Amy Gilliam
William Vince
Terry Gilliam
StarringHeath Ledger
Christopher Plummer
Verne Troyer
Lily Cole
Andrew Garfield
Tom Waits
Johnny Depp
Colin Farrell
Jude Law
CinematographyNicola Pecorini
Edited byMick Audsley
Music byJeff Danna
Mychael Danna
Production
companies
Distributed byMetropolitan Filmexport France
Lionsgate UK
Sony Pictures Classics USA (theatrical)
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group USA (all media)[1]
Release dates
May 22, 2009 (2009-05-22)
(Cannes Film Festival)
October 16, 2009
(United Kingdom)
November 11, 2009
(France)
December 25, 2009
(United States)
Running time
122 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
France
Canada
LanguageEnglish
Budget£18,633,585 (estimate)
($30 million)[2]
Box office$41,083,282 [3]

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film follows the leader of a travelling theatre troupe who, having made a deal with the Devil, takes audience members through a magical mirror to explore their imaginations.

Heath Ledger, Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, and Tom Waits star in the film, though Ledger's death one-third of the way through filming caused production to be temporarily suspended.[4] Ledger's role was recast with Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell portraying transformations of Ledger's character Tony as he travels through a dream world.

The film's world premiere was during the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, out of competition.[5] The UK release of the film was scheduled for 6 June 2009 but pushed back to 16 October 2009 due to its successful premiere at Cannes. The film was given a limited release in the US on Christmas Day 2009 and a nationwide expansion on 8 January 2010.

Plot

The film opens as Doctor Parnassus' (Christopher Plummer) travelling theatre troupe, which includes sleight of hand expert Anton (Andrew Garfield), dwarf Percy (Verne Troyer), and Parnassus' daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) performs outside a pub in London. A drunkard barges onstage, crashing through a stage mirror. He is thrown into a journey of the imagination that culminates in him being offered a choice between enlightenment and a pub. After he enters the pub it explodes. Parnassus is distraught, saying he has lost another one to Mr. Nick (Tom Waits).

Mr. Nick reminds Parnassus that in three days Valentina will be 16, at which point her soul will be his. The troupe has packed up and is on the move. Parnassus is looking at his tarot cards when Valentina comes in to check up on him. He begins to tell her the story about Mr. Nick. He tells her that hundreds of years ago he ran a monastery. He and his monks were perpetually reciting a story to sustain the world. Mr. Nick challenged their beliefs by sealing their mouths. The world existed without the story being told, but Parnassus claimed it was because stories were being told elsewhere. Mr. Nick made a bet with Parnassus over which of them could win over the souls of people to either crave stories and imagination (Parnassus) or addictions and feeble desires (Mr. Nick). Parnassus won over 12 souls before Mr. Nick, and was made immortal by him.

Because his body still aged despite his inability to die, Parnassus made a new deal with Mr. Nick so that he might be youthful again, in order to win the heart of a woman he fell in love with. Parnassus' story is interrupted when they come to an abrupt stop on a bridge. Anton spies a shadow in the river; someone is hanging underneath the bridge. As Valentina goes outside to help the others, Parnassus picks up a tarot card, The Hanged Man. They rescue the hanging man (Heath Ledger), who spits out a golden flute when they revive him, which Anton pockets. Seconds after his revival, the man knocks his head against the coach and falls unconscious. Valentina convinces everyone to put the stranger in the trunk for now.

In the morning, the stranger wakes up, claiming to have amnesia. The man joins the troupe, performing as a barker. The man is successful, leading a handful of woman to the troupe for the performance. However, Parnassus is completely drunk and passes out. The women demand a refund, but the man convinces them that the money is going towards Valentina's medical bills since she is deathly ill, though hides it well. He is very charming and convincing and the women fall for his lie, even buying tickets for tomorrow night's show. Later, when they are leaving, Anton is disgusted at the man's lies since they have essentially stolen from those women. Valentina admits that they haven't seen that much money in a long time though. Mr. Nick visits Parnassus, revealing the hanging man's identity as a disgraced philanthropist named Tony Shepherd. He offers Parnassus a wager: Valentina will stay with whoever wins five souls first by Valentina's 16th birthday which is now in two days.

In the morning, Tony sees his face on a newspaper, declaring that he is missing. Parnassus and Percy approach him and he quickly throws the paper away into the fire. Parnassus then reveals to him that his name is Tony, though the look on Tony's face reveals that he remembers everything. Tony then sees Anton playing with his flute and immediately demands for it back. Anton plays slow and asks him if Tony is sure that the flute is his and how would he know if he couldn't remember anything. Eventually, Tony gets his flute back from Anton.

That night, Anton overhears Parnassus and Percy discussing the bet. During the show, Anton tries too hard and botches up the performance. The troupe is forced to run off. And Parnassus is despondent over the impending loss of his daughter. Tony reaches out to Anton, trying to figure out what is so special about Parnassus' Imaginarium. Anton is unable to describe it, but assures a skeptical Tony that it is real.

Tony convinces the troupe to update the show, making it more attractive to contemporary Londoners. But in order to carry out the new performance, they need some money. Parnassus, Percy, and Valentina cast worried glances at each other. Valentina sees Anton leaving, all packed up, in the distance and runs after him. She begs him to stay. There's a beat, and then she asks him how much money he has saved.

In an upscale mall, the re-modeled Imaginarium looks more modern and intriguing. Tony lures a woman into the mirror, where he appears differently (Johnny Depp). Realizing what Anton said is true, Tony is amazed and curious in the Imaginarium. The landscape is powered by the woman's imagination, featuring gigantic shoes and jewels. She gazes along in wonderment. Tony dances with her, and they spy a motel run by Mr. Nick. Rather than going to the motel, Tony convinces the woman to go on Parnassus' gondola, instead, thereby winning a soul for Parnassus. As the woman disappears down the river on the gondola, Tony is blown back onto the stage, bewildered, only to see that almost no time has passed in the real world. The woman then emerges from the Imaginarium on a swing above the stage. She is in a state of euphoria. She writes a blank check to Parnassus and dumps her purse into the collection bin. The other women watching the show clamor for a turn, and Parnassus wins three more souls.

A group of four Ukrainian gangsters arrive and notice Tony, who owes them money. Tony flees into the Imaginarium pursued by the gangsters. Here, powered by Tony's (Jude Law) imagination, there are ladders leading towards the clouds. Tony begins to climb one, realizing the euphoria of Parnassus' world of imagination and stories. However, before he can reach the sky, the Ukrainian gangsters catch up to him. Anton shows up and makes a feeble attempt to help Tony, but is easily dispatched. As the gangsters threaten Tony Parnassus tempts them with a police recruitment song, promising they will enjoy being cops because they can continue being brutish. But Mr. Nick successfully tempts them with a giant babushka, beckoning them under her skirt. The skirt explodes, evening the score to four souls apiece. Tony reveals to Anton that the gangsters had loaned him money to start a children's charity, only to launder dirty money through it. Probably the only one that seems to understand Parnassus' mind, Anton sees Tony's different faces as an omen and does not believe him, leading them back into the real word instead of back to the ladders as Tony had earlier requested.

Back in the real world Mr. Nick and Parnassus have another chat; Mr. Nick reminding Parnassus that they are now even, four to four, and that Parnassus can still win. Valentina shows up as Mr. Nick is leaving and demands the truth from her father. Parnassus reveals to Valentina that in an hour she will belong to Mr. Nick.

Parnassus continues his earlier story to Valentina, revealing that the woman he fell in love with was her mother. In exchange, any child he fathered would become Mr. Nick's property when the child became 16. He never thought that he would father a child, admitting that Valentina is "the best mistake" he ever made. Valentina becomes distraught and runs away, leaving Parnassus depressed and grabbing at the bottle again, giving up. Anton tries to go after Valentina, but another newspaper article about Tony distracts him.

Tony decides to enter the Imaginarium to give his soul to Parnassus in order to save Valentina. Though, as it is throughout the whole film, it is still unclear what his motives truly are. Before he can go through the mirror, Valentina comes back. Tony convinces Valentina to go with him, but Anton has discovered that Tony is a fraudulent charity scammer and tries to warn Valentina. Tony struggles with Anton and they begin to fight. In the scuffle, Valentina gets pushed into the mirror and Anton is thrown off the stage. Tony jumps in after Valentina.

Inside the Imaginarium, Tony (Colin Farell) and Valentina float down a peaceful river in a boat and eventually have sex. Valentina tells Tony that she thinks she has fallen in love with him and wants to start a family. Tony looks hesitant, but before he could change the subject, an impoverished child on the river bank disrupts them and changes it for him. Valentina is unsure of what to do to help the child and Tony is suddenly back in his role as a philanthropist, flashbulbs and galas. They are suddenly at a fundraiser for his charity with the President (Peter Stormare) in attendance. Anton appears as a small child and attempts to expose Tony as a fraud. In an attempt to hide the truth, Tony pushes Anton away. Tony and Anton get into a fight during the President's speech, Tony smacking Valentina down in the process. She looks at him in surprise and Tony accuses her of turning her back on him. Anton runs off towards the stage to expose Tony. Attention falls upon Tony punching a young Anton, those in attendance become an angry mob. The mob storms after Tony as the landscape disintegrates around them. Anton falls into a void, but Valentina catches his hand, but he is no longer a child anymore and Valentina cannot hold onto him for long. Anton declares his love for her and lets go.

Parnassus shows up, bringing a desert world behind him. Tony knocks him over as he flees into the desert, the angry mob following him inadvertently trample over Parnassus. Valentina tries to help him, but the paramedics that show up become annoyed at her disrupting their work and one of them accidentally proclaims that he is dead (but really the medic meant to say "drunk"). Horrified, Valentina runs away not hearing the medic's self-correction. An almost unconscious Parnassus drops his empty liquor bottle, and the shards become a part of the landscape that Valentina enters. The broken glass and mirrors fly around her. Distraught by her father's supposed death, Valentina decides to give her soul to Mr. Nick and jumps through his mirror, much to the disappointment of Mr. Nick - he never wanted to win in the first place in order to continue making wagers and bets with the immortal Parnassus. Chased by the mob, Tony flees up Mount Parnassus as a heartbroken Parnassus looks on. Mr. Nick consoles Parnassus, offering to trade Valentina for Tony.

Tony spies a gallows, but Parnassus confronts him, stealing Tony's flute, which was revealed earlier that Tony swallows in order to brace his windpipe against the noose. Similar to an earlier scene with Anton, Tony demands for his flute back. Parnassus reveals a copy, but the copy crumbles at the slightest grip. Parnassus challenges Tony to choose which flute is genuine and which will break under the pressure of the noose. Tony chooses one of them and Parnassus swallows that one and hangs himself on the gallows. Presumably dead, Tony quickly takes Parnassus down and grabs the correct flute. He swallows it and allows the mob to carry him and put the noose around his neck. Right before the mob drops him, Tony is horrified to see Parnassus sit up. Parnassus slowly spits out the genuine flute. The mob successfully hang Tony, disperse and disappear. Mr. Nick appears and playfully pokes at Tony's hanging body. Parnassus demands to know where his daughter is, to which Mr. Nick replies with, "How should I know?"

Parnassus becomes depressed, wandering through the Imaginarium in harsh weather for an unknown amount of time, before collapsing on his knees and begging for everything to be over. The scene changes and it is revealed that Parnassus is now begging for money on the street, invisible as people walk by. Suddenly he hears coins being dropped into his collection. He spies a tinkling charm around a woman's ankle, similar to what Valentina wore. Parnassus follows her and spies through the restaurant window that she enters into. Much to his delight and contentment, he finds out that Valentina and Anton are happily married and have a daughter. Percy appears behind him, admonishing him at his now disheveled appearance after years of wandering alone. With Percy, Parnassus begins selling miniature replicas of his theater, complete with string puppets, to families and children in order to continue the tradition of stories and imagination. Mr. Nick is nearby, as always, and beckons Parnassus over, but Percy stops Parnassus and reminds him to continue his work.

Cast

Production

Writing

File:ImagOfParn one-sheet.jpg
Promotional one-sheet for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus which for several months was the first placeholder on the film's official site

Director Terry Gilliam and screenwriter Charles McKeown wrote the script for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,[8] their first collaboration since The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988).[2] When he was approached with the basic concept by Gilliam, McKeown thought of the central character of Parnassus "as a semi-eastern medicine man evolved"[13], and in retrospect he further said about the script's sensibilities, "[i]t is about the theme of imagination, and the importance of imagination, to how you live and how you think and so on. And that's very much a Terry theme. [...] I like the idea of storytelling being the thing that sustains the universe."[13] Gilliam described the premise as a "fun and humorous story about the consequences of our personal choices in life",[14] and explained his goal for the film: "It's autobiographical. I'm trying to bring a bit of fantasticality to London, an antidote to modern lives. I loved this idea of an ancient travelling show offering the kind of storytelling and wonder that we used to get, to people who are just into shoot-em-up action films."[2] Gilliam and McKeown based the character of Tony on former British prime minister Tony Blair, who "would say the most insane things and probably he'd believe them himself".[6]

Gilliam repeatedly said in interviews that the character of Parnassus was meant autobiographically, a tale of an aging man with a vivid imagination in a world that doesn't listen anymore.[15] Still being caught in depression over the disruption of his last self-written project The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, his constant struggle with the established studio system, as well as becoming aware of his progressing age, worried that he was going nowhere with his latest projects and that he might not have much time left, Gilliam put a number of references to sudden, tragic, and premature death into his script before the loss of Ledger became a reality. In fact, Gilliam felt compelled to emphasize time and again that upon the film's release many things might be mistaken as references to Ledger's fate but that the script wasn't changed apart from re-casting Ledger with Depp, Farrell, and Law.[16][17]

Filming

The film received a budget of $25 million at first[18] (but the film's final budget was about $30 million [19]). For The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Gilliam and his cinematographer Nicola Pecorini for the first time went as wide as never before on focal length with a new 8mm Zeiss lens, unusual even for a Gilliam movie which are usually trademarked by wide-angle imagery.[20] The widest lens that had been employed before on a Gilliam film had been a 9.8mm Kinoptic. Production for the remaining CGI effects shots were planned to be done in Vancouver.[8]

Effect of Ledger's death

Production was disrupted by the death of Heath Ledger in New York City on 22 January 2008. Ledger's involvement had been a "key factor" in the film's financing.[10] Gilliam was presiding over concept art when he received the phone call that told Ledger had died; his initial thought was "The film's over, it's as simple as that."[6] Although production was suspended indefinitely by January 24,[21] according to Christopher Plummer, who plays Doctor Parnassus, Gilliam, determined to "salvage" the film, initially considered using computer-generated imagery to make Heath Ledger's character magically change his appearance, perhaps into another character, in order to keep his final work in the film, and, if the film was made, would dedicate it to Ledger.[22] The imagery would be similar to transformation techniques seen on Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and those employed to Roy Scheider in his posthumous release Iron Cross.

Eventually, actors Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law were cast to replace Heath Ledger in certain scenes, portraying the new idea of transformed versions of Ledger's character travelling through magical realms, thus the footage shot with Ledger would remain in the film as his character's "real-world" appearance. Initially, Tom Cruise expressed interest in being involved as another actor to replace Ledger, but Gilliam turned him down because Cruise had never been a close friend of Ledger[23][24]: "I just wanted to keep this family - it's as simple as that [...] There were people even offering to come and help, they didn't know Heath. It had to be in the family somehow, I don't know why; it was my attitude."[25]

With the role recast, filming resumed in Vancouver in March 2008.[26] Depp was a friend of Gilliam who starred in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the aborted The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and had been compared to Ledger by cinematographer Nicola Pecorini. Law was a friend of Ledger and had been considered for the role of Tony, and Farrell had also been friends with Ledger.[6] Depp's participation in Gilliam's film was the hardest to incorporate into any of the new actors' schedules due to his contractual obligation on Michael Mann's Public Enemies at the time. In the end, Gilliam had access to Depp for but one day and three hours. All the shots including him could be managed to be completed in one take in order to fit into Depp's compressed time frame. Depp, Farrell, and Law opted to redirect their wages for the role to Ledger's young daughter, Matilda, who had been left out of an old version of Ledger's will,[27] and Gilliam altered the part of the credits saying "A Terry Gilliam film" to "A film from Heath Ledger and friends."[6]

Gilliam said in retrospect about the first transition from Ledger to Depp in the film:

"He's extraordinary. That's why I put Johnny in first position [of the three new Tonys], because number one, he was going to be the most difficult to get any time with, and number two, I just thought if it works with the transition to Johnny and if the audience goes for it, they'll follow the next two. And that's exactly how it works. [...] That's what's funny, when Johnny appears so many people think it's Heath! And it's a trick: Johnny's not doing anything. He looks like Johnny. [...]
"[During the initial shoot] Heath was on stage and the Russians are appearing, and he was behaving in a very funny way, he was moving around, and I said, 'Heath, I know what you're doing.' He said, 'What are you talking about?' 'You're doing Johnny Depp, aren't you?' And can you believe, that helps this transition [when Ledger enters the mirror and becomes Depp]. This was not intended!"[25]

Depp said of the experience:

"Maestro Gilliam has made a sublime film. Wonderfully enchanting and beautiful, 'The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus' is a uniquely ingenious, captivating creation; by turns wild, thrilling and hilarious in all its crazed, dilapidated majesty. Pure Gilliam magic! It was an honor to represent Heath. He was the only player out there breathing heavy down the back of every established actor's neck with a thundering and ungovernable talent that came up on you quick, hissing rather mischievously with that cheeky grin, "hey... get on out of my way boys, I'm coming through..." and does he ever!!! Heath is a marvel, Christopher Plummer beyond anything he's ever done, Waits as the Devil is a God, Lily Cole and Andrew Garfield, the very foundation, are spectacular, Verne Troyer simply kicks ass and as for my other cohorts, Colin Farrell and Jude Law, they most certainly did Master Ledger very proud, I salute them. Though the circumstances of my involvement are extremely heart-rending and unbelievably sad, I feel privileged to have been asked aboard to stand in on behalf of dear Heath."[28]

Jude Law also commented, saying:

"I have always loved Terry Gilliam's films. Their heart, their soul, their mind, always inventive, touching, funny and relevant. When I got the call, it was a double tug. I liked Heath very much as a man and admired him as an actor. To help finish his final piece of work was a tribute I felt compelled to make. To help Terry finish his film was an honour paid to a man I adore. I had a great time on the job. Though we were all there in remembrance, Heath's heart pushed us with great lightness to the finish."[29]

Colin Farrell also commented, saying:

"It’s not hard for me to imagine that if I ever look back on the films I’ve been a part of, and the stories I’ve had a hand in telling, one will stand out as so unique an experience, as to be incomparable. This experience was the shooting of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The reasons for its uniqueness, sadly, are probably obvious to anyone who reads this.

Three of us had been asked to complete a task that had been set in motion by a man we greatly liked and respected as both a person and an artist. Being part of this film was never about filling Heaths shoes as much as seeing them across the finish line. How I wish he had brought the film to its completion himself. Of course the whole crew felt this way. And the cast that we joined felt it too. It was this spirit of grieving the loss of Heath, that Johnny and Jude and I joined. But there was also a sense of dogged insistence. Insistence that Heaths last piece of work should not be kept in the shadow of the light of day.

More than anything though – more than the sadness and shock, the vulnerability and un-suredness as to whether it was right to complete the film or not – was an incredible sense of love. A community of people, caterers and actors, electricians and make up artists had been brought together in a recognized sense of love and obligation, for and to, one of cinemas finest actors and most generous of men. It will be this sense of love amidst the sadness I will remember most. Such a gift and an honor, from Heath, to be a part of the trail that he left behind.

RIP Heath Ledger x

"[30]

Post-production

The production was beset by further bad luck after the passing of Ledger when producer William Vince died of cancer one week after shooting was done[16], as Gilliam's daughter, producer Amy Gilliam remembered, "[Bill Vince] always said, 'If you get your film in the can you'll be all right.' And I kind of believe that he stayed with us to know that happened."[25] Finally, while on post-production Gilliam himself was hit by a car, resulting in a cracked vertebra. Gilliam recalled: "So I thought, it was third time lucky - they just didn't get me. They got the star, the producer and they were going for the director and the fuckers failed on the last one. Whoever they are..."[16] "They were going for the trinity [...] That would have been a tidy end to the whole thing. But they didn't kill me. I'm stuck here to tell the tale."[15]

Gilliam finished editing the film by November 2008, and then work began on creating 647 effects shots.[6] As usual with his films, Gilliam found inspiration in particular painters for each CGI-generated scene inside the titular Imaginarium. According to Designing the "Imaginarium" published by CBSnews.com, the scene with Doctor Parnassus's attempted suicide related to the style of Odd Nerdrum[31], the Ladder World with Jude Law featuring "rolling hills with simple trees" was inspired by the art of Grant Wood[32], the kitsch landscape from the beginning of the sequence with Colin Farrell took inspiration from Maxfield Parrish[33], and Jose Maria Sert's mural of the Crucification in Rockefeller Center inspired the scene including the final minutes of Farrell's appearance in the film[34].

According to the official ParnassusFilm Twitter channel[35][36] launched on March 30, 2009, post-production was finished on March 31. After the production had finally come to a successful closure, Gilliam felt that "[I] didn't make this film. Forces from above and below made it. It made itself. I don't worry anymore. It's got its own relentless momentum. It just needed some human sacrifice."[15] "It's made itself - I was just one pair of hands and there were many hands."[16] "Don't get me into my mystical mode ... but the film made itself and it was co-directed by Heath Ledger!"[37] "The irony is that the choices that were forced upon us improved the movie, so it was as if Heath co-directed the movie, even co-wrote it."[38] According to Gilliam, actor Colin Farrell also went on record for saying that he hadn't been simply playing the character of Tony, but that he was rather feeling like "channeling Heath".[39]

Gilliam also positively recalled people's commitment to Ledger's memory: "Everyone in the cast and everyone in the crew was determined that this film would be finished and everybody worked longer, harder and somehow we got through. It was really ... people's love for Heath that propelled this thing forward."[40] "All the actors already in the film had to change their schedules, and there wasn't a moment's hesitation. [...] They all said, 'We'll do what's necessary.' It's really a love letter to Heath by everybody involved. He was beloved by so many."[15]

Music

The original motion picture soundtrack of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was composed by Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna who had previously worked on Terry Gilliam's Tideland and were hired once again to score one of his movies. Gilliam himself wrote lyrics for the two songs "We Love Violence" and "We Are The Children Of The World", the latter of which was made as a spoof of Michael Jackson's famous song "We Are the World"[41] and was later nominated for a Satellite Award in the category Best Original Song.[42] Both songs were also submitted for an Academy Award nomination.[43]

Tracklist[44]
  1. Once Upon A Time
  2. The Imaginarium
  3. The Tack
  4. Tony's Tale of Woe
  5. The Monastery
  6. Book & Story
  7. Sympathy For The Hanged Man
  8. The First To Five Souls
  9. Escape From The Pub
  10. The River
  11. Suicide Attempt
  12. Tango Amongst The Lilies
  13. Victory In The Lilies
  14. Four Through The Mirror
  15. The Ladder World
  16. We Love Violence
  17. Top Of The Wagon
  18. We Are The Children Of The World
  19. Tony's World Collapses
  20. The Devil's Dance
  21. Tony's Salvation
  22. Parnassus Alone

Locations

Tony is found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge.

Filming took place at various locations in London and Vancouver.[45]

The restyled show debuts in Leadenhall Market.
The "mall" is the foyer of the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library.

The film opens with St Paul's Cathedral in the background (by the north bank of the Thames), and the first show is performed under the rail tracks at Green Dragon Court, directly next to Borough Market, with Southwark Cathedral in the background (in Borough, London, on the south bank of the Thames), where the drunken lout molests the performers and then enters the mirror. The next scene, with Tower Bridge in the background, is just east along the riverbank, by City Hall. Tony is found hanging under Blackfriars Bridge, and the very large disused building in which the following scene (and several further ones) occurs is the interior of Battersea power station, further west along the south bank of the river.

The following scenes occur north of the Thames: the Homebase, DIY store at 3 Station Road, south of New Southgate railway station, in New Southgate, followed by the Horseshoe pub in Clerkenwell Close in Clerkenwell from which the wagon flees. The restyled show makes its debut in Leadenhall Market, where the stylish women gather to watch.

The remaining scenes were filmed in Vancouver. The fantasy scenes were filmed at Bridge Studios in Burnaby, while the charity gala occurs at the Orpheum Theatre, and the glass-walled "mall" is the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library, the curved arcade being the library's entrance foyer.

Release and box office performance

Before The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was finished, this film had already received healthy interest from worldwide distributors and this film was sold out across the world.[46][47] But The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus received lukewarm response from many distributors in the United States; Terry Gilliam said that Fox Searchlight and other United States distributors had declined to release this film in the United States.[48]. Eventually, this film's United States distribution rights was acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group, which releases this film in the United States theatrically through Sony Pictures Classics.[49]

In fact, the United States was the last territory where this film was sold. [50]

Box office

According to Reuters, the film debuted at #3 on its first weekend at the UK box office.[51] The film debuted at #2 in both France[52] and Italy, generating the year's third-best box office return on an opening weekend in Italy. Said Roberto Proia, distribution chief of the film's Italian distributor Moviemax, about its surprisingly warm reception, "Almost two years after his death, Ledger has a huge fanbase which, along with the rest of the stellar cast, certainly contributed hugely. [...] We also found out that teenagers massively love Gilliam, and we did not expect this. He really has rock star status."[53] By November 1, two weeks after its release to the public, it had earned slightly above $12 million in the UK, Ireland, Italy, and Spain alone according to Box Office Mojo.[54] Total for France and Algeria, Monaco, Morocco and Tunisia; Italy; New Zealand and Fiji; Spain; United Kingdom and Ireland and Malta is $21,755,237 according to Mojo. Figures for Czech Republic, Romania, Australia, and other foreign markets were not given on Mojo.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus earned $415,233 on its North American limited opening Christmas weekend (December 25 - December 27, 2009) being presented in 48 theaters with an average of $8,651. The second weekend of Parnassus (January 1 - January 3, 2010) set an average of $7,684 with a gross of $368,836 which made for a total of $1,029,821 domestically. Releasing in 607 North American theaters Parnassus took eleventh place on its opening wide release box office weekend (January 8 - 10, 2010) with earnings of $1,762,637, average of only $2,904 and a total of $2,989,290.[55]

According to the working partner of William Vince, the film had already made its budget back even before it opened in North America.[56]

Critical reception

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 69% of 140 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 6 out of 10. The site's general consensus is that "Terry Gilliam remains as indulgent as ever, but The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus represents a return to the intoxicatingly imaginative, darkly beautiful power of his earlier work, with fine performances to match all the visual spectacle."[57] Among Rotten Tomatoes' "Top Critics", which consists of popular and notable critics from the top newspapers, websites, television and radio programs, the film holds an overall approval rating of 63%, based on a sample of 27 reviews.[58] Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from film critics, has a rating score of 66 based on 27 reviews.[59]

Awards and nominations

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is nominated for two BAFTA awards including Best Production Design (Dave Warren, Anastasia Masaro and Caroline Smith) and Best Make Up & Hair (Sarah Monzani).[60] In addition, the Costume Designers Guild of America nominated Parnassus for Best Fantasy Film (costume designed by Monique Prudhomme).[61] It's also being considered for several Academy Award nominations including Best Makeup (Sarah Monzani)[62] and Best Original Song - “We Are the Children of the World” (music & lyrics by Terry Gilliam) and “We Love Violence” (music by Mychael Danna & Jeff Danna; lyrics by Terry Gilliam).[63]

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was nominated for Best Achievement In Production at the British Independent Film Awards but lost to Bunny and the Bull.[64] It was further nominated for three International Press Academy Satellite Awards, in the categories Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction & Production Design, and Best Original Song and Monique Prudhomme won the award for Best Costume Design.[42] The film was also voted Best Fantasy Film of the year by readers of the Total Sci-Fi Online magazine.[65]

References

  1. ^ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007231.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562
  2. ^ a b c Adam Dawtrey (2007-12-14). "Gilliam Mounts 'Parnassus' in London". Variety. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  3. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=imaginariumofdoctorparnassus.htm
  4. ^ "Heath Ledger's final film 'struggling to secure release'". Telegraph.co.uk. 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  5. ^ "Festival de Cannes: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Dan Jolin (March 2009). "'A Film by Heath Ledger and Friends...'". Empire. pp. 109–113.
  7. ^ Adam Dawtrey (2008-03-10). "Shooting resumes on 'Parnassus'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  8. ^ a b c d "Gilliam, Ledger Reteam for Film". Variety. 2007-10-31. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  9. ^ a b Campbell, Christopher (2007-10-09). "Details about Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus'". Cinematical.com. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  10. ^ a b Adam Dawtrey (2008-01-23). "'Parnassus' Team Faces Dilemma". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  11. ^ "Dreams: Terry Gilliam 2009 News Blog". Smart.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Sony Pictures Classics (2009-09-10). "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Production Notes" (PDF). Sony Pictures Classics. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  13. ^ a b Stubbs, Phil (2008). Charles McKeown on writing the Dr Parnassus script, Dreams
  14. ^ Stuart Kemp (2007-11-01). "Ledger, Plummer join Gilliam's 'Doctor'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  15. ^ a b c d Turan, Kenneth (2009)Terry Gilliam used magic to finish 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus', LA Times, May 22, 2009
  16. ^ a b c d Terry Gilliam (The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus) Interview, lastbroadcast.co.uk
  17. ^ Daniels, Hunter (2009): THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS at Comic-Con, collider.com
  18. ^ http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=3671
  19. ^ http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/andrew_ohehir/2009/12/25/gilliam
  20. ^ Shell, Theresa (2009). EXCLUSIVE! Nicola Picorini, Director Of Photography, Talks To Dr. Parnassus Support Site About The Film, Heath Ledger & Terry Gilliam, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Support Site, December 06th, 2009
  21. ^ Christine Kilpatrick (2008-01-24). "Production Suspended on Heath Ledger's Latest Movie". People. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  22. ^ Natasha Stoynoff (2008-01-28). "Show Will Go On for Heath's Last Movie, Says Costar". People. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  23. ^ Mihelich, Charles (2009). Tom Cruise Wanted To Be in THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS; Terry Gilliam Said "No", Collider.com, September 4th, 2009
  24. ^ Aguirre, Laura (2009). Terry Gilliam Rejected Tom Cruise for Dr. Parnassus, ScreenCrave, September 4, 2009
  25. ^ a b c Morgan, David S. (2009). Resurrecting Heath Ledger's Final Film, CBSnews.com, December 21, 2009
  26. ^ Adam Dawtrey (2008-03-10). "Shooting resumes on 'Parnassus'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  27. ^ Jessica Salter. "Heath Ledger's daughter given wages of stars in Terry Gilliam's Dr. Parnassus". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
  28. ^ http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-12-28-johnny-depp-finally-discusses-stepping-in-for-heath-ledger-in-imaginarium
  29. ^ http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-12-28-johnny-depp-finally-discusses-stepping-in-for-heath-ledger-in-imaginarium
  30. ^ http://riskybusiness.blogs.thr.com/2010/01/colin-farrell-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus-heath-ledger-jude-law-johnny-depp.html
  31. ^ Designing the "Imaginarium", Precipice
  32. ^ Designing the "Imaginarium", High in the Sky
  33. ^ Designing the "Imaginarium", Parrish
  34. ^ Designing the "Imaginarium", Noose
  35. ^ ParnassusFilm. "Parnassus Film (ParnassusFilm) on Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
  36. ^ Dreams: 2009 News Blog
  37. ^ Kirkland, Bruce (2009). Ledger's 'insane' last film finished, Sun Media
  38. ^ Bunbury, Stephanie (2009). Applause: Even after death, Heath Ledger's life force heavily influenced his final film, The Age, October 11, 2009
  39. ^ Reynolds, Thomas (2009). Terry Gilliam ('Doctor Parnassus'), Digital Spy, Tuesday October 13 2009
  40. ^ Frenette, Brad (2009). Terry Gilliam talks about Heath Ledger and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus at Cannes, The National Post, May 22, 2009
  41. ^ http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/12/catching-up-withterry-gilliam.html
  42. ^ a b 2009 14th Annual SATELLITE AWARDSTM NOMINEES AND WINNERS
  43. ^ http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/oscar-2010-best-song-submissions-994/
  44. ^ The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus [SOUNDTRACK: Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna] Amazon.com. Release date: January 5, 2010.
  45. ^ The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus film locations
  46. ^ http://www.screendaily.com/gilliams-doctor-parnassus-sells-to-uk-australia-and-japan/4039077.article
  47. ^ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124205076999206771.html
  48. ^ http://www.movieline.com/2009/12/terry-gilliam-the-movieline-interview.php?page=all
  49. ^ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007231.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562
  50. ^ [http://imaginariumofdrparnassus.com/blog/2009/06/27/dr-parnassus-has-distribution-in-all-areas-except-usa/
  51. ^ "Disney's old man rides high at UK box office". news.yahoo.com. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  52. ^ 1ères séances : la carton de "2012", allocine.fr
  53. ^ Nick Vivarelli (2009-10-26). "'Parnassus' makes stellar bow in Italy Opening screen average is year's third highest". variety.com. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  54. ^ The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus on Box Office Mojo
  55. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=imaginariumofdoctorparnassus.htm
  56. ^ The imagination of Bill Vince
  57. ^ "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
  58. ^ "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Top Critics)". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
  59. ^ "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Reviews (2009)". Metacritic. CNET Networks. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
  60. ^ http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-awards-nominations,949,BA.html
  61. ^ http://www.costumedesignersguild.com/cdg-awards/#anom
  62. ^ http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2010/20100111.html
  63. ^ http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2009/20091216.html
  64. ^ WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 12TH BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS SUNDAY 6 DECEMBER AT THE BREWERY, CHISWELL STREET, bifa.org.uk
  65. ^ The Total Sci-Fi Awards 2009: Results, totalscifionline.com
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